Convertible windbreak



United States Patent 3,537,688 CONVERTIBLE WINDBREAK Bertha Stein, 1981Yorktown Blvd., Toms River, NJ. 08753 Filed Dec. 16, 1968, Ser. No.783,937 Int. Cl. E04h 17/16 US. Cl. 256-24 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE This specification discloses a portable, collapsible,economical and practical device defining a multi-sectioned windbreak forprotection against wind and sand in gardens, patios; at beaches,poolsides and laksides. The device comprises a combination of a suitablewind-impervious material interspersed with mutually spaced groundanchoring poles running transversely thereto. The device can beconverted into any one of several different configurations, dependingupon the number and size of its separate windbreaking sections. It canalso be devised as a winter protection for shrubs and the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This inventionrelates to a simply constructed, practical and economical means ofproviding a windbreak for one or more persons or for winter stormprotection around either separate shrubs, plants, etc., or stetchedalong the foundation of a building.

Description of the prior art Conventional shelters from the elements onbeaches and lake or poolsides are usually complicated, extravagantlyconstructed cabanas for shielding one or more occupants from sun andshower as well as wind, or unsightly makeshift affairs.

Previously, it has been the practice to wrap a piece of burlap around ashrub or along a foundation and secure it by string or wire either tothe plants or around the plants. The principal objection to suchimprovised means is that of being unsightly and diflicult to manage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According ot the present invention, amulti-sectioned wind-impervious material is anchored to the ground as bymutually spaced stakes attached to the material to partition itssections and maintain said sections in vertically extended positionperpendicular to the ground.

The sections of the windbreak can be defined by vertical two-ply sleeveswhich are open at the top and bottom. The sleeves are stitched to thematerial at each end and at mutually spaced positions intermediate itslength. Stakes pointed at one end are inserted through the sleeves fromtop to bottom for penetration into turf, sand, gravel, etc. Or pairs ofaligned grommets can be disposed at the ends and intermediate thereof todefine said sections by securing the grommets to poles and the likehaving hooks attached thereto in oppositely disposed directions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Further features and advantages of theinvention will be apparent in the following detail description and theaccompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of theinvention, wherein FIG. 1 is a broken elevational view of a stake orpole having an upturned hook proximate the top thereof and a downturnedhook in spaced relation thereto;

FIG. '2 is an elevational view of a three sectioned windbreak whereineach section is defined by aligned pairs of grommets for attachment tothe books on four stakes such as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a broken, elevational view of a hookless stake;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of a modified windbreak wherein its threesections are defined by vertical two-ply sleeves;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an assembled windbreak placed in anoperative U-shaped position by placing the stakes shown in FIG. 3through the sleeves of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a four sectioned windbreak used to forma triangular protected area;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the windbreak of FIG. 6 used to protecta shrub or the like from winter winds, sand and snow drifts;

FIG. 8 is an elevational view of a windbreak with its overheadextensions in open position;

FIG. 9 is an elevational view of the windbreak shown in FIG. 8 with itsextensions zippered together to form an arcuate wind-sand deflectingdome; and

FIG. 10 is an elevational view of a dome-supporting pole.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings, FIG.2 shows a rectangular sheet of wind-impervious material 10, having areinforced edging 11 around its periphery and aligned pairs of grommets12 disposed along the upper and lower edges 13, 14, respectively.

Each pair of grommets are adapted to be attached to an upturned hook 15and a downturned hook 16, respectively, mounted on a stake or pole 17,as shown in FIG. 1. When so attached the pointed ends 18 of the polescan be pushed into sand, turf or other anchoring material to form astraight windbreak as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4; a two sided as shown inFIG. 6, a three sided as shown in FIGS. 5 and 9; a four sided as shownin FIG. 7; or an L-shaped windbreak if only one section is placed atright angles to the others.

In lieu of grommets adapted to be looped over hooks on an anchoringstake, such as shown in FIG. 1, to form three separate sections 19, 20,21, the windbreak 10a may be provided with a series of vertical sleeves22 disposed at each end and intermediate thereof to form three separatesections 19a, 20a, 21a. A smooth pile 17a, with a point 18a at one said,may then be inserted through each sleeve before being thrust into theground surface to form the U-shaped windbreak illustrated in FIG. 5. Oneor more pockets 23 for accessories or litter, etc. can be provided onthe inner surface of windbreaks adapted for personal use, such as shownin FIGS. 4 and 5.

It is understood that poles 17, 17a are here shown broken to indicate agreater length beyond the width of the windbreak to allow for asufficient depth of penetration into the sand or soil.

The windbreak can be of any desirable size or length depending upon itsintended use. The embodiment 10b, shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 has foursections instead of three, and is held erect by five stakes or poles.The windbreak shown in FIG. 6 is anchored in an inverted V-shape toshelter several persons from strong sand blowing trade winds and thelike. It would probably be made of solid colors or patterned nylon,canvas duck, plastic or other flexible, waterproof material. The sameconstruction used as a garden protective device, as illustrated in FIG.7, would also be of cheerful printed stripes or patterned material tobrighten up landscapes during the drab winter months.

If desired, the windbreak can be converted into a partial sun and rainshelter as well, by adding three substantially triangular extensions 24,25, 26 to the sections 190, 21c, 200, respectively, see FIG. 8. Theseextensions may be provided with strips of stiffening material (notshown) along the outer edges and can be zippered as at 28 to the middleextension 26 to form a substantially arcuate wind and sand deflectingdome, as shown in FIG. 9.

When the dome portion of the windbreak is not required, the extensionscan be folded downwardly within the windbreak. Or, the extensions canalso be zippered or otherwise removably attached to the upper edges 130of the windbreak.

If the proportions of the windbreak are large enough, extensions 24, 25,26 can be provided with a circular hole 27 at the apex thereof foroverlapped ringing around the upper end of a centrally disposed domesupporting pole 29, having an extension retaining stop 29a, see FIGS. 9and 10.

In practice, the windbreaks can be unrolled either attached orunattached to their light-weight wood or aluminum supporting poles,whereupon the pointed ends of the poles are pushed into the sand orother penetrable surface to anchor the one, two, three or four sidedwindbreak into stabile position.

When returning from the beach, etc., the stakes are pulled up and thewindbreak rolled around them for easy transport to car or home. Ifdesired, the rolled windbreak can be packed into a suitable fabriccarrying case with handle.

The forms of the invention here described and illustrated are presentedmerely as examples of how the invention may be embodied and applied.Other forms, embodiments and applications of the invention will ofcourse suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

What I claim is:

1. A windbreak comprising at least four ground-penetrating stakes havingone pointed end, a substantially rectangular wind-impervious materialprovided with means for attaching the upper and lower edges thereof tosaid stakes to form at least a three sectional windbreak, threeseparable substantially triangular flaps secured to and extending abovesaid upper edge of each of the three sections of said windbreak,securement means disposed along the inner edge of the two outer flaps,auxiliary means disposed along both edges of the inner flap, said saidauxiliary means cooperating with said securement means for joining saidflaps together to form an arcuate cover for said windbreak and a polewith a transverse stop disposed proximate the top thereof, each of saidflaps provided with an aperture for encircling said pole above said stopfor supporting said cover.

2. A windbreak according to claim 1, wherein said flaps are removablyattached to said upper edge of said material.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 185,559 12/1876 Mapleson.1,123,657 1/1915 Bache -1 1,669,484 5/1928 Mowry. 1,672,338 6/1928Lilleso-Peterson 135-1 1,930,404 10/ 1933 Wagner. 2,196,544 4/1940Bagley. 2,208,458 7/ 1940 Julian et al. 2,997,277 8/ 1961 Schwartz 25624 DENNIS L. TAYLOR, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

